Covering for mattress or box-spring including pocket and securing apparatus for breathing equipment

ABSTRACT

Described is a mattress or box spring covering that includes a device that can be used to store bedside items. The device is a vessel or pocket that is attached to the sheet or blanket that cover the sleeping mattress. The pocket is positioned on the sheet so that it is within easy reach of a person in the bed. Mattress or box spring covering further includes a means and method for securing an air hose for breathing equipment used by people suffering from sleep apnea. This utility patent application claims priority of provisional patent application No. 61/464,381.

This utility patent application claims priority of provisional patent application No. 61/464,381.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to coverings for sleeping bed mattresses or box-springs and more specifically to a mattress or box-spring cover that includes a device that is attached to the mattress or box-spring cover that will hold items so that they are within easy reach to the person in the bed and/or an attachment methods and means for securing hoses from breathing equipment for individuals who suffer from sleep apnea.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many items are kept near a sleeping bed such as eyeglasses, television remote controls, books, ear plugs, and the like. These items are usually kept in or on a night stand near the bed. A night stand is a small cabinet that usually contains drawers, and sits near the head of the bed. While there is usually ample room for these bedside items in the night stand, they are many times not easily accessible.

While the night stand usually has sufficient room for bed side items, it is very easy to drop items that are being removed from a drawer, or knock items off the top of the night stand. These items then fall to the floor and out of reach to the person who needs them. This necessitates the need for the person to exit the bed to retrieve the dropped items. This can be very inconvenient.

It can also be difficult to locate loose items on the bedside stand or in a drawer in low light conditions. This can be a major cause of knocking items from the stand to the ground.

A night stand can also become extremely cluttered with multiple objects which can be unsightly. Also, the more objects there are on the top of the night stand, the better chance there is that some of these items will be dropped to the floor.

One way to reduce the chance of dropping items to the floor would be to have a vessel or pocket attached to the sheet or blanket covering the sleeping mattress. This would allow items to be stored within easy reach of the person in the bed.

This pocket would also allow bedside items to be hid from view by the top bed covers when the bed is made for the day.

Also, by placing the most frequently used items in the pocket for bed mattress, there will be fewer items to clutter the top of the night stand.

Other methods for holding bedside items are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,836 Everson; Scott, U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,250 Taylor; Larry L., U.S. Pat. No. 7,131,152 Wootten, Jr.; Gerald E. U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,574 Stromatt; Jeff, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,009 Putka, Jr. David L., among others.

Many people suffer from sleep apnea and require a breathing apparatus to be worn while sleeping. This breathing apparatus consists of a control box that creates a positive flow of air, and a hose to deliver the air to the person with sleep apnea.

The hoses from these breathing apparatuses can be troublesome when they fall on the floor where they can be stepped on and damaged.

One way to eliminate this problem would be to have a covering for a mattress or box-spring that also includes a method and means for securing these hoses to the mattress or box-spring, thereby keeping them from falling on the floor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a covering for a mattress or box-spring that includes a vessel or pocket to hold bedside items that is easily accessible to the person in the bed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a covering for a mattress or box-spring that includes a vessel or pocket to hold bedside items that is easy to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a covering for a mattress or box-spring that includes a vessel or pocket to hold bedside items that is simple to operate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a covering for a mattress or box-spring that includes a vessel or pocket to hold bedside items that is inexpensive to manufacture

Another object of the present invention is to provide a covering for a mattress or box-spring that includes a vessel or pocket to hold bedside items that will hide items from view when the top bed covers are made for the day

Another object of the present invention is to provide a covering for a mattress or box-spring that includes a vessel or pocket to hold bedside items that will make it easier to determine the proper orientation of the mattress or box-spring covering.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a covering for a mattress or box-spring that further includes a methods and means for securing the hose from breathing apparatus used by people with sleep apnea, that keeps the breathing hose from falling to the floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side plan view of a standard sleeping mattress and box-spring showing the pocket for bed mattress covering attached to the fitted sheet.

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of a mattress or box-spring showing the pocket for bed mattress covering.

FIG. 3 is an end view of a standard sleeping mattress and box-spring showing the pocket for bed mattress covering attached to the fitted sheet.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a fitted sheet with the pocket for bed mattress covering attached.

FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the covering for mattress or box-spring with the pocket for bed mattress covering attached to the box-spring covering.

FIG. 6 is a side plan view of a standard sleeping mattress and box-spring showing the pocket for bed mattress covering attached to the fitted sheet and also including a means and method for securing the breathing hose from a sleep apnea device.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the method and means for securing the breathing hose from a sleep apnea machine where the means is a tie (in open condition)

FIG. 8 is a side view of the method and means for securing the breathing hose from a sleep apnea machine where the means is a tie (in the closed securing condition)

FIG. 9 is a side view of the method and means for securing the breathing hose from a sleep apnea machine where the means is a strap with hook and loop fastening means (open condition)

FIG. 10 is a side view of the method and means for securing the breathing hose from a sleep apnea machine where the means is a strap with hook and loop fastening means (in closed securing condition)

FIG. 11 is a side view of the method and means for securing the breathing hose from a sleep apnea machine where the means is a strap with a snap fastening means (in open condition)

FIG. 12 is a side view of the method and means for securing the breathing hose from a sleep apnea machine where the means is a strap with a snap fastening means (in open condition)

FIG. 13 is a side view of the method and means for securing the breathing hose from a sleep apnea machine where the means is a plastic clip formed to hold the breathing hose

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The covering for mattress or box-spring including pocket and securing apparatus for breathing equipment is particularly illustrated in FIGS. 1-4). In the preferred embodiment, the covering for mattress or box-spring including pocket and securing apparatus for breathing equipment (4) has a pocket depth approximately equal to the thickness of the sleeping mattress (2) or box-spring (3). The pocket (1) is normally positioned so that it is within easy reach of the person in the bed.

In the preferred embodiment, the covering for mattress or box-spring including pocket and securing apparatus for breathing equipment will be a fitted sheet (4) that covers the mattress (2) and/or box-spring (3). Unlike standard flat sheets, a fitted sheet (4) is sized and shaped like the mattress (2) and box-spring (3), with an elastic band running the periphery of the sheet, allowing it to stay in place during use.

The covering for mattress or box-spring including pocket and securing apparatus for breathing equipment can have the pocket either permanently attached to the mattress or box-spring covering by means of sewing, gluing or eyelets, or it can be removably attached to the mattress or box-spring covering by means of hook and loop, zippers, snaps, pins, or ties.

In the preferred embodiment, the pocket for the covering for mattress or box-spring including pocket and securing apparatus for breathing equipment (4) is positioned on the bed or mattress covering such that it is on the side of the mattress (2) or box-spring (3) when the covering is placed on the mattress (2) or box-spring (3).

In a variation of the preferred embodiment, the pocket for bed mattress (1) may be divided into multiple smaller compartments to better facilitate the holding of particular items such as eye glasses or television remote control.

In another variation of the preferred embodiment, the covering for mattress or box-spring including pocket and securing apparatus for breathing equipment will include a securing apparatus for the ventilating tube from sleep apnea breathing devices. Said securing apparatus can be present with or without the presence of the pocket.

The securing apparatus can be a number of different means including ties (7), straps with hook and loop (8), straps with snaps (9), or molded or extruded plastic clips (10).

Having thus described in detail several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes, only a few of which are exemplified in the specification of the invention, could be made without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. It is also to be appreciated that numerous embodiments incorporating only part of the preferred embodiments are possible which do not alter, with respect to those parts, the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. The present embodiment and optional configurations are therefore to be considered in all respects as exemplary and/or illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all alternate embodiments and changes to this embodiment which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of said claims are therefore to be embraced therein.

Description of each item described above

-   (1) Pocket -   (2) Bed Mattress -   (3) Box-spring -   (4) Fitted Sheet -   (5) Ventilating tube or hose for sleep apnea breathing devices -   (6) Sleep apnea breathing device -   (7) Secure method of a tie -   (8) Secure method of a strap with hook and loop -   (9) Secure method of a strap with a snap -   (10) Secure method of a clip 

1. A covering for a bed mattress or box-spring that includes a vessel for holding bedside items, comprised of a pocket or pouch attached to said bed mattress or box-spring covering.
 2. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring of claim 1, where the pocket or pouch is constructed from a fabric material.
 3. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring of claim 1, where the bed mattress or box-spring covering is a fitted sheet.
 4. A covering for a bed mattress or box-spring that includes a vessel for holding bedside items comprised of a pocket or pouch that is removably attached to said bed mattress or box-spring covering.
 5. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring, where the pocket or pouch is constructed from a fabric material.
 6. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring of claim 4, where the bed mattress or box-spring covering is a fitted sheet.
 7. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring of claim 4, where the removable attachment means for the pocket or pouch is hook and loop material.
 8. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring of claim 4, where the removable attachment means for the pocket or pouch is snaps.
 9. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring of claim 4, where the removable attachment means for the pocket or pouch is a zipper.
 10. A covering for a bed mattress or box-spring that includes a means and method for securing a sleep apnea breathing apparatus hose.
 11. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring of claim 10 where the breathing apparatus hose securing means is a flexible cord tie.
 12. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring of claim 10 where the breathing apparatus hose securing means is a plastic clip.
 13. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring of claim 10 where the breathing apparatus hose securing means is a strap with hook and loop closure.
 14. The covering for a bed mattress or box-spring of claim 10 where the breathing apparatus hose securing means is a strap with snap closure. 